What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a common and prevalent disease that occurs when the blood glucose levels in your blood get too high.

In general, blood glucose comes from the food you eat and is the main source of energy for your body to perform routine and necessary tasks. Most of the food that you eat is broken down into glucose by the body and this glucose is sent through your blood to every part of your body for energy.

Many hormones are involved in converting the food you eat into glucose. Insulin plays a major role in this process and it is produced by the organ called pancreas.

The insulin hormone is responsible for taking the glucose from your blood stream and delivering them to each individual cell.

Diabetics either do not produce enough insulin due to a malfunctioning pancreas, or their body’s cells do not adequately respond to the insulin circulating through their bloodstream. As a result, the person’s blood is flooded with glucose.

Symptoms of Diabetes

• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Increased thirst
• Fatigue because the glucose never reaches the cells to give you energy
• Unexplained weight loss
• Hunger pangs
• Soreness and wounds that don’t heal fast
• A tingling feeling in your hands and feet

Three types of Diabetes

01. Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes also known as ‘juvenile diabetes’ or ‘insulin dependent diabetes’. This is not as common as type 2 diabetes and typically affects children under the age of fourteen.

Although adults can become afflicted with this type of diabetes, it is considered very rare in those 35 years of age or older.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. This usually occurs when the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that are responsible for making insulin. Although this type of diabetes is almost impossible to reverse naturally and requires medications.

02. Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 or also known as ‘adult onset diabetes’ accounts for 90 percent of all cases and typically strikes after age 45.

With this type of the disorder, the body’s cells do not properly respond to the insulin that is present in the bloodstream, resulting in high glucose levels despite the fact that adequate insulin is being produced.

Although type 2 diabetes is typically diagnosed after age 45, an increasing number of individuals under the age of 30 are being diagnosed with the disorder each year. Some of the known factors that can lead to diabetes are:

• Overweight – When you carry lot of body weight, it affects the production of insulin & the available amount may not be enough to pass the glucose to every cell in your body. This leads to accumulation of glucose in the blood, thereby leading to diabetes.
  
• Resistance to Insulin – In some people, for unknown reasons, the muscle, liver, and fat cells do not use insulin well. This means, the pancreas is forced to produce more insulin as whatever it is producing currently may not be enough. Although the pancreas adapts to producing more, the inefficient usage of insulin by the other organs, makes it difficult to bridge the gap.
  
• Genetic factors – Some races are more prone to diabetes due to genetic factors and the food that they have been eating for generations. For example, South-east Asians who thrive on carbohydrate rich rice as their staple are more predisposed to diabetes.
  
• Family history – A family history greatly increases your chances to get diabetes.
  
• Hormonal diseases – Some hormonal diseases like Cushing’s syndrome and hyperthyroidism may cause diabetes. In Cushing’s syndrome, the body produces too much cortisol, a hormone known to induce stress and reduce the production of insulin. Likewise, in hyperthyroidism, the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone that impacts insulin.

03. Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is the third type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It usually presents during the second trimester of pregnancy and resolves itself after the child is born. Up to 10 percent of all expectant mothers will develop gestational diabetes, many of whom will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Managing Diabetes

Diabetes is a common disease that affects millions of people worldwide. There is no definitive medical treatment for diabetes yet, which means, you have to manage it well. The disease can be managed by getting proper medication and leading a healthy lifestyle. This article will help you to manage diabetes and live a healthy life.

Simple Lifestyle Alterations to Lower Blood Sugar Level Naturally

From here, we are going to discuss some easy ways to lower blood sugar level naturally. All you really have to do is change a few of your daily habits. It’s not that hard. If you follow these things in your daily life, it will help you to live happily with your loved ones for a long time.

01. Reduce Carbohydrate Consumption

Carbohydrates are a major component in many types of food such as fruits, vegetables, cookies, corn, potatoes, beer, wine, dairy products, bread and rice. Our body breaks down the carbohydrates in the foods and turns them into glucose, which is used for energy production.

Eating more carbohydrates than your body needs will increase your blood sugar to unhealthy levels. So we need to understand the amount of carbohydrates our body needs. Below is a general guideline.

Men:
45 – 75 grams per meal
10 – 30 grams per snack

Women:
30 – 60 grams per meal
10 – 30 grams per snack

Here is a list of foods that have carbohydrates:

• Grains (rice, barley, oatmeal, etc.)
• Other foods that are based on grains (pasta, bread, etc.)
• Milk products
• Starchy vegetables (corn, potatoes, etc.)
• Fruits (that also includes juices)
• Legumes (dried beans, soy, etc.)
• Sugar, sweets, snacks

Note: There are also non-starchy vegetables that contain a lower amount of carbohydrates: broccoli, cucumber, cauliflower, and lettuce.

02. Stop Consuming Sugar

Many delicious foods have a significant amount of sugar in them. But eating sugar when you have a blood sugar disease is like adding fuel to a fire.

To manage blood sugar, you need to stop eating foods that contain a lot of sugar. Be aware, as the sugar comes in many forms. Know the many names of sugar so you can identify them on a Nutrition Facts Label. If it ends in “-ose”, that is sugar.

Other than the obvious: brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, powdered sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc. when you see one of the names below, know that the product contains sugar:

• Fructose
• Galactose
• Maltose
• Caramel
• Cane juice
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Molasses
• Treacle

No matter how old we are, we all love to eat sweets and other sugar containing foods. But you have to know your limits if you have diabetes.

The American Heart Association recommended no more than 100 calories of sugar a day for women (6 teaspoons) and not more than 150 calories for men (9 teaspoons). In case you were not aware, a can of soda contains ten teaspoons of sugar.

03. Get used to the Rainbow Diet

The rainbow diet is a colorful diet. It encourages to consume fruits and vegetables that contain all of the rainbow’s colors. Each vegetable and fruit offer different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When you get into the habit of adding variety to your diet, you reap the benefits of a healthy immune system and healthier body.

Fruits and vegetables can be separated into five color categories – red, purple (or blue), green, orange and white (or brown). Each color can tell you what vitamin or nutrient is in the food.

RED – rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Tomatoes, papaya, and grapefruits are high in lycopene.

PURPLE or BLUE – contains the antioxidant anthocyanin which gives them the blue color. Anthocyanin-rich foods include blueberry, blackberry, cherry, cranberry, eggplant and purple cabbage.

GREEN – are rich in phytochemicals such as carotenoids, saponins, and indoles, which provide many health benefits including lower blood glucose levels. Green vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, spinach, celery, lettuce and bok choy, were particularly beneficial.

ORANGE – are rich in carotenoids like beta-carotene that is converted by our body to vitamin A. Carrots, butternut squash, yellow peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes are some examples.

WHITE – white fruits and vegetables such as cauliflower, garlic, onion, mushrooms, and banana, are natural sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.

For a healthy diet, freshly prepared vegetables and fruits are better than processed ones. Make sure you eat a rainbow of colorful vegetables and fruits each day. If you do not feel like eating a bowl of fruits or vegetables, there is always the possibility of making a delicious smoothie.

04. Cut Back on Saturated Fats and Avoid Trans Fats

Everyone needs dietary fat to stay healthy. Because fats have higher calorie counts than carbohydrates and proteins. But saturated fat and trans fat are not good for anyone. Patients with diabetes in particular need to pay close attention to the amount of fat in their diet. Especially about saturated fat and trans fat.

Saturated Fat :
One of the complications of diabetes is heart disease. Studies have shown that high saturated fat consumption increases the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) while reduces the levels of HDL (good cholesterol), leading to plaque formation and clogging of arteries. Being a diabetic, you are already at a greater risk for a heart disease, so it is important to consume saturated fats in moderation.

Foods High in Saturated Fats:

• Butter
• Lard
• Chocolate
• Coconut & coconut oil
• Cream sauces
• Palm oil

Trans Fat :
Just like saturated fats, trans fats raise bad cholesterol and reduce good cholesterol in the blood. Many studies have shown that trans fats have more severe effects on heart health than even saturated fats. So avoid trans fats entirely.

Most trans fats are produced artificially by the food industry that hydrogenates vegetable oils to increase their shelf life and to enhance the flavor of processed foods. Trans fats are by-products of the oil hydrogenation process.

Trans fats can be found in processed foods, cookies, baked goods, cream pies, margarine, shortening and fried foods from some restaurants. When shopping for groceries, double check the trans-fat section in the Nutrition Facts labels.

Healthy Fat :
Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats are known as healthy fats. So, try to get healthy fats instead of saturated and trans fats. These healthy fats can be found in the following foods.

Foods High in Monounsaturated Fats –

• Avocados
• Olive oil
• Sesame seeds
• Peanut oil
• Almonds
• Cashews

Foods High in Polyunsaturated Fats –

• Walnuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Soybean oil
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil

05. Supplement Your Diet

Eating a healthy diet is very important not only for diabetes but also for a healthy life. When you have diabetes, high blood sugar acts as a diuretic and the nutrients your body absorbed will be filtered out of your body. This makes diabetics prone to deficiency in water-soluble vitamins and minerals.

To have a proper nutrition that will keep your blood sugar in check, you need to take supplements. Another reason to take supplements is that by increasing your nutrient intake, you are helping your body use insulin more efficiently to keep your blood glucose levels healthy.

Pay more attention to these nutrients.
Chromium – Chromium is a trace mineral that can be found in common foods including fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. Chromium enhances the function of insulin and assists with reducing blood sugar levels. Clinical trials have shown that chromium helps the body distribute glucose and nutrients into cells. However, this supplement should be taken in small doses, as too much chromium can threaten kidney function.

Vitamin D – Diabetics are more prone to infection. Vitamin D activates the immune system and can help you fight bacteria and viruses. You can get Vitamin D from orange, orange juice, sardines, salmon, tuna fish, beef liver.

Magnesium – This mineral is essential for protein synthesis and energy production. Studies have shown that increased magnesium intake can slow the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes. You can get Magnesium from pumpkin seeds, spinach, almonds, cashews, peanuts etc.

Cinnamon – Those of you who love cinnamon rolls will definitely love this – studies suggest that consuming a half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily can reduce blood glucose levels and cholesterol.

06. Monitor Blood Glucose Levels

Monitoring your blood glucose levels is essential to treat and heal diabetes. Checking your blood sugar is the only way you can know whether you are making progress and how food intake and exercise are affecting your blood sugar.

According to the American Diabetes Association, following is normal ranges of blood glucose levels:

• Before meals, 80–130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
• 1–2 Hours after the start of meals, below 180 mg/dL

07. Lose Weight and Exercise Regularly

Approximately 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are carrying extra pounds. In fact, overweight can lead to a worsening condition known as insulin resistance. Too much fat in the body can interfere with the function of insulin that is necessary for the body to process glucose. If you are overweight and suffer from type 2 diabetes, weight loss can improve your body’s response to insulin and lower blood sugar.

08. Limit Alcohol Consumption

For all of you who enjoy a glass of wine over dinner, here is some good news – alcohol is not off limits when you have diabetes, especially if you have your sugar levels under control. The American Diabetes Association recommends no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men (1 drink = 12 ounces of beer = 5 ounces of wine = 1.5 ounces of liquor).

The reason to limit alcohol intake is that alcohol can increase the risks of diabetes complications.

What are these risks?

• Hypoglycemia
• High Blood Pressure
• Neuropathy
• Weight Gain

Here are some tips for alcohol consumption:

• Never drink on an empty stomach.
• Do not drive within a couple of hours after consuming an alcoholic drink.
• Have a glass of water with you to keep you hydrated. Switch to water after your first drink.
• Drink slowly.
• If you can avoid alcohol altogether, you’ll be doing yourself a big favor!

09. Water? Drink Up!

Do you know that thirst is one of the signs that show a person may have diabetes? A study performed on 3,615 women and men who had regular glucose levels at the beginning of that study, has shown that those individuals who drank more than 36 ounces of water on a daily basis had over 20% less risk of developing diabetes in the following 9 years, than those who drank only 16 ounces of water a day.

Although further research on the connection with water and diabetes is required, this study suggests that drinking plenty of water can have a positive impact on blood sugar.

10. Quit Smoking

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smokers are 30–40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Smoking makes it harder to manage blood sugar levels and increases the chances of developing complications. Smoking is bad enough for non-diabetics, but for those who are already diabetic, it can be a catalyst to complications such as cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease, neuropathy, and retinopathy.

Source: Reverse Diabetes – How to Lower Your Blood Sugar and Reverse Diabetes Naturally by Katherine Brewer.